Department of Art Welcomes New Chair, Stephanie James
The College of Fine Arts is excited to announce new leadership in the Department of Art effective July 1, 2018. Stephanie James will take the lead as Chair for the Department following Carolyn Henne who was Chair of the Department of Art from the academic year of 2011 until 2017.
Stephanie James
Stephanie James
Stephanie James is a fine artist previously serving as the director of the School of Art in the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University. Previous to her position at SU, she served as Associate Dean and Head of the School of Visual Arts at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), United Kingdom.
Her research focuses on curation and the dynamic between space and the creative process. She creates artworks and engages in exhibition making—organizing, curating, and developing strong working external partnerships to realize major projects including Boite-En-Valise at the Venice Biennale. Recent funded research has focused on developing a framework for determining the way in which leaders assess effectiveness and evaluate the impact of the “art school” gallery; she believes that the gallery is an important space for pedagogy and a rich site for developments in research in arts, design, media, and performance. James holds a master of fine art degree in sculpture from Newcastle University, United Kingdom; a bachelor of art degree from Hull College, United Kingdom; and a bachelor of fine art degree from Concordia University, Canada.
Carolyn Henne
Carolyn Henne
Carolyn Henne is currently the Head of Sculpture for the Department of Art. She previously served as the Chair for the Department of Art from the academic year of 2011 until 2017, where she oversaw an exciting studio art department where the focus is on producing technologically savvy artists and designers who are conscientious actors with good hands.
Carolyn Henne has also served as Director of the Facility for Arts Research (FAR) and Associate Dean for the College of Fine Arts. Henne’s sculpture is largely informed by anatomical studies. Her work ranges from large, complex interactive installations to more straightforward, discrete objects. “Suspended Self Portrait”, is in the permanent collection at the National Museum of Health and Medicine and was featured in the NIH’s exhibition, Dream Anatomy. Henne was part of a team of arts, engineering, and business students and faculty working with VCU surgeons to develop a prototype for a life-like surgical trainer. Subsequently, she collaborated with surgeons to develop prototypes now being replicated and employed to train surgical students and shared at workshops internationally. She has a Courtesy Faculty Appointment with FSU’s College of Medicine.